Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
By qwertyuiop11586 Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:36 pm
Do you have one? Do you like it?

I am looking at purchasing an outboard compressor to run my MPC/synths through and to use for rough mixes I 2track out of the MPC. Would appreciate any suggestions or thoughts.

My budget is <500$, but I would love to hear from any of you about your gear and why you like it or not.

Thanks!
User avatar
By scoobylol Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:17 pm
Yes, not really.

I have an ART Pro VLA II tube compressor.

It's ok. Not brilliant on drums, but certainly adds some control to bass sounds, but the tube circuit isn't overly noticeable. Get better results using a cheeky FX chain on Ableton. I still like it and use it from time to time. But for "warming" up sounds I prefer to run them through an old tape delay I have.
By qwertyuiop11586 Fri Jan 07, 2011 2:22 pm
scooby - funny you mention that, that is one of the comp's i was looking at. i've read you can replace the tubes and get very interesting color out of it.

just curious - you don't think it adds much character/fatness/warmth to your drums?

also, what tape delay do you use?

thanks!
User avatar
By DJ Plan A Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:55 am
I have an Alesis 3630. It's got a decent gate and I've been happy to have it in my DJ rig as a limiter, but the compressor itself is mediocre and colours the sound worse than a dbx. You should check out the RNC in the <$500 range. After that, you might be looking at the >$1000 range to make the next point with something the Empirical Labs EL-8 or little fatso.
User avatar
By scoobylol Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:06 pm
qwertyuiop11586 wrote:scooby - funny you mention that, that is one of the comp's i was looking at. i've read you can replace the tubes and get very interesting color out of it.

just curious - you don't think it adds much character/fatness/warmth to your drums?

also, what tape delay do you use?

thanks!


Yeh a lot of people replace the tubes I've never bothered, perhaps I should, see if I can get a bit more out of it.

I don't think it added anything overly noticeable to drums, on certain sounds it can really open them up if you find it's "sweet" spot. To be honest I would like it to have the option of a slower attack time, but for the price it was a good experiment. But I like to use quite a lot of FX chains on my drums and I find the stock compressor in Ableton a very very useful tool on its own. Like I said I found it more useful for adding a bit of naughtyness to bass sounds, midrange bass sound in particular.

My tape delay is a Watkins Copicat. It's a beautiful old beast, and I've sort of used it as a buss channel in a way. For example I'll have two channels set up with my drums/layers, usually one being compressed super hard, and the other being quite dry... send both of those out to 2 of the inputs on the Copicat (it has 4 hehe)... and then really push the inputs on that hard, but leave the signal dry so the delay isn't actually doing anything.

The Copicat only has a mono output, and you can really balance the two drum tracks nicely before they come back into Ableton as a mono signal. The delay itself is really really sporadic. I wouldn't use it for accuracy, just for some noise and FX, but its a hell of a lot cheaper than a Space Echo, and it certainly has it's own charm. I've taken it apart in about 20 minutes and put it back together before to give it a clean, and I love how no nonsense it is, with its massive circuit boards haha.
By qwertyuiop11586 Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:12 pm
thanks for both of your suggestions -

i am reading up a bit on the RNC 1773. might come back with a few questions for ya after i do...

very interested in the THE WATKINS / WEM COPICAT!! The multiple channels could just what I need for a mixbuss or NYC compression.

Thanks!
User avatar
By psr Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:22 pm
I had the VLA... changed the tubes and though some have disagreed, I dpnt think its very good. I sold it. But I do use the Alesis 3630 its sort of dirty and pumps the drums nicely from the MPC.
User avatar
By scoobylol Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:06 pm
qwertyuiop11586 wrote:thanks for both of your suggestions -

i am reading up a bit on the RNC 1773. might come back with a few questions for ya after i do...

very interested in the THE WATKINS / WEM COPICAT!! The multiple channels could just what I need for a mixbuss or NYC compression.

Thanks!


The Copicat is just a tape delay, I just happen to use the 4 inputs to mess about and push it's little amp. It doesn't have any compression built in it of ANY kind.

I just meant I send two channels from Ableton out of my soundcard and into the copicat where I mix the two signals down to one.
User avatar
By dabmeister Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:05 pm
dbx DDP here. Image
By beach_break Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:34 am
psr wrote:I had the VLA... changed the tubes and though some have disagreed, I dpnt think its very good. I sold it. But I do use the Alesis 3630 its sort of dirty and pumps the drums nicely from the MPC.


the VLA does not use true valve circuirty. it only uses starved-plate circuits.
User avatar
By psr Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:42 am
qwertyuiop11586 wrote:PSR - do you use it on individual tracks or on busses/two tracks from your MP?

just curious...


Depends. I've done both. I route adat out of the 5k to my RME Fireface 400 so I can either do individual tracks out to 3630 or stereo L/R to 3630.
User avatar
By mp3 Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:41 pm
beach_break wrote:
psr wrote:I had the VLA... changed the tubes and though some have disagreed, I dpnt think its very good. I sold it. But I do use the Alesis 3630 its sort of dirty and pumps the drums nicely from the MPC.


the VLA does not use true valve circuirty. it only uses starved-plate circuits.

So does the Neumann U-47
User avatar
By DJ Plan A Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:21 pm
yeah, it's kind of a classic. It's no magic box, but it can be used for effect.